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Text for Success
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any weight-loss experts counsel on the importance of keeping a diet and exercise journal to people trying to shed pounds, but researchers at Duke University say they’ve found a modern take on the practice may be more effective: texting. In a small study, Duke researchers say obese study participants who texted their daily exercise and diet choices and subsequently received coaching via short texted responses lost a small amount of weight over a six month period, while
those using more traditional methods actually gained an average of 2.5 pounds. Experts affiliated with the study say texting as a form of diet accountability may simply pair better with the modern technology-fueled lifestyle, noting it’s such a ubiquitous communication form that mobile devices may even be more readily available for some dieters than pen and paper. The study was published recently online in the Journal of Online Medical Research. source: http://tinyurl. com/hl14weightloss
Healthy Gums,
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Slim by Healthy Heart Design
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ant to keep heart disease at bay? Start by brushing and flossing your teeth on a regular basis. Researchers at Columbia University says they’ve found a direct correlation between improvements in gum health and a reduction in bacteria in the mouth as well as a decrease in the buildup of unhealthy plaque in the arteries. This was true, researchers noted, even in study subjects who had not been diagnosed with full-fledged periodontal disease. The study findings, recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, add to a growing body of research that shows a correlation between oral hygiene and heart health. “Our results show a clear relationship between what is happening in the mouth and thickening of the carotid artery, even before the onset of full-fledged periodontal disease,” says study co-author Panos N. Papanano, a professor of Dental Medicine at Columbia University’s College of Dental Medicine. “This suggests that incipient periodontal disease should not be ignored.” This news, of course, is especially important for women, as heart disease remains their number one killer.
hose all-you-can-eat food buffets sometimes seem like an open invitation to load the plate with mounds and mounds of calories, but researchers say restaurants can steer their patrons toward better choices: Place healthier options first. Researchers at Cornell University found when buffets began with healthier options (think fruits and low-fat yogurts and granola) diners were more likely to put those on their plates. But when buffets began with greasier, high-fat fare (think cheesy eggs, bacon and fried potatoes) diners were less likely to choose healthier fare as the line progressed. Indeed researchers, who reported their findings recently in the journal Plos One, determined that the first three foods a diner encounters ultimately comprise about 66 percent of the contents of their plate.
source: http://tinyurl. com/hl14teeth
source: http://tinyurl. com/hl14buffet
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